The present invention relates to an electric compressor, and more particularly to an electric compressor in which an inverter is integrated.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-184752 discloses an electric compressor which has been made to prevent a short circuit between terminal pins as hermetic terminal and a terminal holder or a housing.
The electric compressor disclosed in the above Publication includes a housing, a compression mechanism and an electric motor that are accommodated in the housing. The compressor further includes an inverter housing that is fixed to a part of the outer peripheral surface of the housing thereby to form an inverter accommodating chamber in which an inverter is provided. A hermetic terminal is electrically connected to the inverter through a connector of the inverter. Furthermore, in the housing, the hermetic terminal is electrically connected via a cluster block to a lead wire that is drawn out from a coil of the stator of the electric motor.
Various types of electric compressors are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Nos. 2006-42409, 2009-264172, 2010-59809, 2002-98054, 2003-97435, H03-281993, and 2012-215090.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-184752, an electric compressor having an inverter integrated therewith is known. In the electric compressor disclosed in the Publication No. 2012-184752, a cluster block is employed as a relay terminal portion for providing electric connection between the inverter and the electric motor. However, the dimensions of the housing in which a compression mechanism and an electric motor are accommodated, or the size of the electric compressor itself may be increased depending on the installation location of the relay terminal portion.
The present invention which has been made in view of the circumstances above is directed to providing an electric compressor of a smaller size.